How to Survive Without Your Smartphone

So you left the house in a rush this morning because you were running late to an appointment. Oh no! You left your phone on the table and don’t have time to go back and get it.

You would probably be a little nervous (What if your boss emails? What if you miss that important call?), but you would be all right.

Now imagine you were without your phone for the whole day. Or better yet, imagine you didn’t have a smartphone for the entire week. Could you make it?

According to an infographic from FrontRange, 66 percent of people said they wouldn’t last one day.

Forty-four percent of people said they would give up their phones for a week if they were paid more than $100. Nineteen percent said they would need more than $500.

Nomophobia, the fear of being without your phone, is a real problem. In a U.K. study, 53 percent of people said they experienced anxiety when they couldn’t use their phones. They said the experience was as stressful as a trip to the dentist, or even their wedding day.

OK, so there’s a good chance most of us are addicted to our phones. But is there a way to reverse that addiction?

FrontRange says yes. The company asked seven people to give up their smartphones for one week, and document how they felt.